East Bengal v Sabah FA: AFC Women's Champions League preliminary decider in Kota Kinabalu
East Bengal will face Sabah FA at Likas Stadium in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia in the final group-stage match of the AFC Women’s Champions League Preliminary Stage on Sunday, 23 August 2026, with kick-off at 17:30 IST. Both sides arrive level on six points; a win for either team will secure qualification for the main competition, while East Bengal’s superior goal difference (+16) over Sabah (+14) means a draw would be sufficient for the Indian club to finish top of the group.
East Bengal enter the match as 2025-26 Indian Women’s League champions and are bidding to reach the AWCL group stages for a second successive season after being eliminated from the 2025-26 AWCL group stage on goal difference. They occupy first place in Group A among the six preliminary groups, having won both of their opening games and collected six points. Across those two matches East Bengal have scored 16 goals and conceded none.
Hosts Sabah FA are also unbeaten in the group and sit level on points with East Bengal, their goal difference standing at +14. Sabah began the preliminary stage with a 13-0 victory over Rovers and followed that by beating Rajshahi Stars 2-1, conceding a late goal in the second game. The Malaysian side has previous experience in the AWCL, having played in the 2024-25 edition of the competition.
East Bengal’s listed lineup for the match appears as: Elangbam Panthoi Chanu (GK); Astam Oraon, Sarita Yumnam, Soumya Guguloth, Naorem Priyangka Devi, Sathi Debnath, Shilky Devi Hemam (C), Abena Anoma Opoku, Sulanjana Raul, Adama Alhassan, Olivia Anokye. An alternate East Bengal XI provided in the source reads: Panthoi Chanu (C) (GK); Sarita Yumnam, Adama Alhassan, Ashalata Devi, Astam Oraon; Shilky Devi, Olivia Anokye; Rimpa Haldar, Naorem Priyangka Devi, Sulanjana Raul; Abigail Antwi.
Sabah FA’s reported lineups include: Enzi Hekjema Starks (GK); Steffi Sarge Singh (C), Ayuri Terawaki, Rosdianah Adeline, Henrietta Justine, Juliana Barek, An Sebin, Delainey Varela-Keen, Mai-Lisa Atis, Misaki Nakayama, Asma Junaidi (GK). A second Sabah XI listed is: Asma Junaidi (GK); Steffi Sarge Kaur, Varela-Keen, Juliana Barek, Henrietta Justine, Rosdianah Adeline; A. Terawaki, An Se-Bin, M. Atis; E. Broussard, M. Nakayama.
East Bengal are expected to have a fully fit squad available apart from Fazila Ikwaput and Resty Nanziri, who have not travelled with the team to Malaysia due to visa issues; Sabah are also expected to have a fully fit squad. The two clubs have not met previously, making this their first competitive encounter.
The match will be live streamed on FanCode. A victory for either East Bengal or Sabah will guarantee progression to the main competition, while East Bengal can also advance with a draw because of their superior goal difference (+16 to +14).